UAFS vs. Cal State East Bay

Comparable Facts

Compare University of Arkansas Fort Smith in Fort Smith, AR with California State University East Bay in Hayward, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

California State University East Bay is larger than UAFS based on total student enrollment (12,326 students vs. 5,496 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• University of Arkansas Fort Smith is located in Fort Smith, AR (Small City setting); California State University East Bay is in Hayward, CA (Midsize City setting).
• University of Arkansas Fort Smith is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. California State University East Bay is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: University of Arkansas Fort Smith 18:1; California State University East Bay 22:1.

UAFS vs. Cal State East Bay Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UAFS or Cal State East Bay? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University East Bay than UAFS ($9,850 vs. $11,159).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Arkansas Fort Smith are 43.5% lower than at California State University East Bay ($10,082 vs. $17,831).
• California State University East Bay is 3.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than UAFS (about $249 more per year; $7,583.00 vs. $7,334.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 65.7% higher at Cal State East Bay than at University of Arkansas Fort Smith (about $8,001 more per year; $20,183.00 vs. $12,182.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at University of Arkansas Fort Smith than at California State University East Bay (95% vs. 79%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by California State University East Bay students is 60.3% larger than aid received by University of Arkansas Fort Smith students ($12,369 vs. $7,715).

UAFS vs. Cal State East Bay Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, UAFS or Cal State East Bay? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Cal State East Bay and UAFS.

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: UAFS - Required; Cal State East Bay - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: Cal State East Bay Oct 1, 2026.
• Enrolled freshman UAFS students have a 0.19 point higher average high school GPA (3.39) than students at Cal State East Bay (3.2).
• Cal State East Bay has a higher acceptance rate (97.4%) than UAFS (80.5%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 40.2% at UAFS vs. 6.9% at Cal State East Bay.

UAFS vs. Cal State East Bay Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for UAFS and Cal State East Bay? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

• California State University East Bay's six-year graduation rate (43%) is higher than University of Arkansas Fort Smith's (23%).
• Graduates from California State University East Bay earn a median of about $20,300 more per year than UAFS graduates about ten years after starting college ($55,300 vs. $35,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, University of Arkansas Fort Smith graduates have a $2,200 lower median loan debt than Cal State East Bay graduates ($14,132 vs. $16,332).
• Among borrowers, UAFS graduates have an estimated $22 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Cal State East Bay graduates ($146 vs. $168).
• More Cal State East Bay graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UAFS students, three years after graduation. (61% vs. 47%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.